Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1165986
38 SEPT. 23, 2019 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY LOU SOMOGYI GROUND RULES Despite the presence of junior and third-year starting quarterback Jake Fromm — whose first career start as a freshman came in the 20-19 victory at Notre Dame in 2017 — the 2019 Georgia attack is built around a pow- erful veteran offensive line paving the way for a potent running game. Meanwhile, the No. 1 concern for Notre Dame entering 2019 following its 2018 College Football Playoff ap- pearance was rebuilding the middle of the defense, specifically replacing first-round draft pick Jerry Tillery at tackle plus the highly productive and durable inside linebacker tandem of Drue Tranquill and Te'von Coney. The Bulldogs' starting offensive line stands on average 6-5 while tip- ping the scales anywhere from 329 to 332 pounds per man (depending on who is at right guard between 6-6, 318-pound Cade May or 6-6, 335-pound Ben Cleveland). Junior left tackle Andrew Thomas — a pre- season All-American who also has been projected as a top-five pick in the 2020 NFL Draft — at times is the "runt" along the front at 6-5, 320. Notre Dame's linebacker corps is in a state of flux, with about a half- dozen players trying to find their niche in the lineup or rotation, which is often predicated on down-and-dis- tance situations. It showed on occa- sion in the opener against Louisville in the 35-17 Irish victory. The Car- dinals rushed for 249 yards and 5.3 yards per carry, led by running back Javian Hawkins' 128 yards and 6.4 yards per attempt. The good news is that Fromm, who finished with minus-27 rushing yards last season, is not anywhere near the running threat Louisville signal-caller Jawon Pass was (99 yards versus Notre Dame without the sacks). The bad news is the Bulldogs' back- field is extremely well stocked, led by 5-9, 215-pound junior D'Andre Swift, whose 40-yard run at Notre Dame as a 2017 freshman set up a Georgia touchdown. The 1,000-yard rusher from 2018 has a couple of five-star recruits in James Cook and Zamir White behind him. There also is four-star freshman Kenny McIntosh, whose older brother RJ is with the NFL's New York Giants while another older brother, Deon, was a former 2017 Notre Dame running back (third- leading rusher that season with 368 yards and five touchdowns) and is now at Washington State. Usually in these types of high- lighted matchups, something else comes to the forefront as a surprise. However, if Georgia controls the line of scrimmage with its running attack and protects the football in the pro- cess, Notre Dame's chances at victory will be significantly diminished. AVOIDING HISTORY … Georgia is attempting to become the first team to begin 3-0 against Notre Dame in a football series since Iowa in 1940, and only the fourth af- ter the turn of the 20th century. • Amos Alonzo Stagg's Chicago Maroons were 4-0 versus Notre Dame from 1893-99 before the series ended. • Michigan, the opponent that taught Notre Dame players the game in the school's football debut in 1887, began the series 8-0 before losing in 1909. • Wisconsin opened with a 3-0 mark against Notre Dame from 1900-05. • Iowa's first game against the Fighting Irish was a 10-7 victory in 1921 — the lone defeat that sea- son for fourth-year head coach Knute Rockne's 10-1 outfit. The two schools didn't meet again until a 1939-40 home-and-home series that saw the Hawkeyes win by 7-6 and 7-0 margins. Since then the Irish are 13-5-3 against Iowa, beginning with 56-0 win in 1945. The last contest between the two was in 1968. The initial meeting with Georgia was in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 1981, which featured the 11-0 and GAME PREVIEW: GEORGIA Top STorylineS Junior left tackle Andrew Thomas, a preseason All-American and a projected top-five pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, anchors a massive offensive line (6-5, 329 on average) that powers Georgia's potent ground attack. PHOTO COURTESY UGA SPORTS COMMUNICATIONS